Float switch



July 25, 1944. B. E. VsHAw 2,354,282

FLAT SWITCH Filed March I5, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mm 5 x,

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July 25 1944 B. E. sHAw FLOAT SWITCH Filed March 3, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l: Animada a# INVENTOR. .zai'on/ Z.' 57mm in position with respect to Patented July 25, 1944 FLOAT SWITCH Burton E. Shaw, Bristol, Ind.,

Electric Switch Co., Goshen,

of Iowa assignor to Penn Ind., a corporation Application March 3, 1942, Serial No. 433,167

(Cl. 20o- 67) 3 Claims.

ing water from a sump, automatically in response to the level of the water in the sump.

Another object is to provide a switch which l gives positive snap action and good contact pressure, with relatively few parts in the assembly. and also a switch structure wherein the relation of the parts is such that they may be ruggedly formed, yet contained within a. small housing, with sufiieient spacing between the electrical parts to adequately meet underwriters requirements.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in the claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in winch:

Figure 1 is an enlarged front elevation of a switch embodying my invention, showing the cover for the base removed and the switch in closed position;

Figure 2 is a similar view partly in section, showing the switch in open position; and

Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 are sectional views on the lines 3-3, 4-4, 5--5 and 6-6, respectively, of Figure 1.

On the accompanying drawings I have used the reference numeral I0 to indicate a base member, and I2 a cover therefor. The base I0 and cover I2 are preferably formed of insulating material and together constituting ajhousing for the switch mechanism. The cover I2 is retained the base member II) by a screw I3 passing through the cover and threaded into a bracket I4 The bracket I4, in turn, is held in position with respect to the base member I0 by a pair of screws I5.

The base member II) has a pair of attaching feet I6 and I1, suitably perforated, as at I3, to receive screws for attaching the switch housing to a wall or the like. One of the feet |1 has a pair of grooves I9 communicating with a through space 2li in the base member III so that the electric wiring may be brought into and led out from the switch terminals. There are three of these terminals, a bridging terminal 2| and a pair oi' switch contact terminals 22 and 23. The bridging terminal 2| is retained in position as by a screw 24 (see Figure 4) while the switch contact terminal 22 is similarly held in position by a screw 25 (see Figure 2). The switch contact terminal 23 is retained in position by its terminal screw 26 which is threaded into a iianged sleeve 21 embedded in the base member III. The switch contact terminal 23 is retained against rotation by a lug 23 thereon embedded in the base member III.

The terminals 2| and 22 are provided with terminal screws 29 and 30, respectively; The switch contact terminals 22 and 23 are provided with right-angled extensions 22a and 23 which, as shown in Figure 5, extend away from each other and carry stationary switch contacts 3|. The contacts 3| are adapted to be bridged at times by a bridging contact 3|,

The base-member I0 has a barrier 30 formed therein, which divides thehousing |Il|2 into upper and lower compartments. The terminals 2|, 22 and 23 are mounted in the upper compartment, as shown in Figure 1, with the terminal extensions 22 and 23"h projecting into the lower compartment.

The bracket I4 is mounted in the lower compartment and is channel-shaped, each of its flanges being provided with V-seats 32 and 33. A yoke-shaped actuating arm 34 has knife edges 35 seated in the V-seats 32, whereas a switch arm 36-1-31 has a pair of knife edges 33 seated in the V-seats 33. The knife edges are retained in the V-seats by a toggle spring 39. 'Ihe spring 39 has its opposite ends hooked through an opening 4I) of the actuating arm 34 and around an ear 4| of the switch arm bracket 36. The arm 34 extends through an opening 34 in the housing |0|2 and stops against shoulders 34b and 34 oi the bracket I4.

The bracket 36 has the insulating part 31 'of the switch` arm secured thereto, as by rivets 42. The bridging contact 3| has` a fiat extension 43 through a slot 44 of the switch a'rm 31. A washer 46 is riveted thereon, and a spring 46 is interposed between the bridging contact and a spring cup 41, seated against the switch arm 31.

Theouter end of the actuating arm 34 is perforated, as at 48, for coaction with any suitable actuating device, such as a oat rod 49. The iloat rod 43 extends loosely through the perforations 48 and is provided with a pair of collars 50 and 6I and with a oat 52.

Practical operation Any control device` connected with the actuating arm 3l, such as the iloat mechanism illustrated on the accompanying drawings, may move the actuating arm I4 from closed circuit position of Figure 1 to open circuit position o! Figure 2, or vice-versa.l Starting with the Figure 1 position, the collar 5i, when it engages the upper side of the actuating arm 3l, will swing the actuating arm downwardly. At an intermediate position the toggle spring Il snaps across center with relation to the knife edges 38 and Il and the V-seats 32 and 33, causing the switch arm 3l to snap to the position 'of Figure 2. During the 'switch opening movement the spring 4I is permitted to keep the bridging contact il* in engagement with the stationary contacts Il until some momentum has been attained, whereupon the switch arm 31 engages the washer 4l to quickly separate the contacts with a hammer break, thereby effecting a quick extinguishment of the arc.

As the float rod 49 rises, the collar 50 will engage the under side of the actuating arm 84 to swing the switch arm-l1 back to closed circuit position of Figure 1 when the toggle spring passes dead center. This will eiiect engagement oi' the bridging contact Il* with respect to the stationary contacts 3|, and thereafter compression of the spring 46 from its expanded position to its compressed position of Figure 1, whereupon the contacts are held in engagement "by the toggle spring 39 in its over-center position.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms oi. structure. or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a switch structure, a base of insulating material and an insulating cover therefor, said base and cover constituting a switch housing, a barrier therein formed on said base and oi the material of said housing, said barrier dividing the switch housing into two compartments, a

pair oi' switch terminals in onset parallel planes in one ot said compartments, said switch terminals having contact carrying extensions projecting through said barrier into the other oi said compartments, said extensions having portions at right angles to said oilset planes and arranged in substantially a common plane. stationary switch contacts thereon, a supporting bracket in said other compartment, an actuating arm and a switch arm mounted on said bracket. an operative connection between said actuating arm and said switch arm and a bridging contact carried by said switch arm and adapted in one position of the switch arm to bridge said stationary contacts.

2. In a structure of the character disclosed, a base of insulating material having attaching feet thereon, a coverof insulation for said base which with the base form a switch enclosing housing. switch mechanism in said housing, one o! the attaching feet o1' said base having grooves terminating at the outer surface oi said toot to receive the wires to and from said switch mechanism, said switch mechanism comprising stationary switch contacts, a supporting bracket in said housing, an actuating arm and a switch arm having pivotal connection therewith, a toggle spring connecting said arms for imparting snap action to said switch arm resulting from movement of said actuating arm, and a bridging contact carried by said switch arm said bridging contact in one position o! the switch arm being adapted to engage said stationary contacts under the bias of said toggle spring.

3. In a switch oi' the character disclosed, a base of insulating material having attaching feet thereon, a cover for said base which together with the base form a switch housing, switch mechanism in said housing, one oi said attaching feet being grooved to receive the wires to and from said switch mechanism, said switch mechanism including a switch arm, an actuating arm and an operative connection between said arms for imparting action from one arm to the other one, said bridging contact in one position of the switch arm being adapted to engage said stationary contacts.

BURTON E. SHAW. 

